


Transit The Sun

by AzarDarkstar



Series: Through the Looking Glass [3]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Being Lost, Crossover, Don't Examine This Too Closely, Friendship, Gen, Humor, One Girl In All The World, There Aren't Blonds In Avatar, Twisting The Hellmouth, save the world
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-11-18
Updated: 2013-06-20
Packaged: 2017-11-18 22:13:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 16,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/565842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AzarDarkstar/pseuds/AzarDarkstar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>No, she can't land in a world filled with happiness and light and puppies that chase rainbows. It's so freaking typical.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This girl's good. But Buffy is faster. Stronger. Better.

Buffy doesn't like how they stare. Her hair is blonde, growing golden the more time she spends in the sun, and no one else in this strange place has this color. She starts to wear a head covering since it gets fewer looks than the hair itself. Her clothes at least don't stand out but do mark her as a refugee. They're road-stained and mismatched, and she's ashamed to admit that they were taken from the dead. Most of her supplies are obtained the same way or from whichever bandits are stupid enough to attack her. It's wrong, and it makes her stomach twist. But it's the only way she has to support herself.

It's so weird here. Like she's been suddenly dumped in an Asian Disneyland come to life. And she's not in Kansas anymore, Toto. She's not in North America. She's not even on Earth. Not her Earth anyway. Not her world. Just some strange dimension that bares a vague resemblance.

The language sounds like Chinese. At least it's like what she assumes is Chinese since that's not something she speaks. The first few weeks are hard. So damn hard. And Buffy pretends to be deaf until she learns enough of the language to not look like a complete idiot. It takes a bit longer to learn how to read. Takes until a kind old woman she saves from thieves teaches her with knowing eyes and a sad, sad smile.

But the language and strange manners and even the freaky animals aren't the weirdest part of all of this. The weirdest part is the people themselves. Buffy gapes the first time she sees someone bend earth. She does it again when she sees soldiers in an occupied town controlling fire as easily as most people breathe. Don't even get her started on those weirdoes she saw at the edge of a swamp and their wacky, water ways.

It's so freaky. It's so damn strange. It's so fucking typical.

No, she can't land in a world filled with happiness and light and puppies that chase rainbows. Instead, she crashes down in a place where people are divided along which element they can control.

Worse yet, this is a world at war. Fire versus earth. Possibly fire versus everybody else; she's still not sure about that part. She hasn't seen enough of the water people to be sure, and she hasn't met anybody of air yet. All Buffy knows is that they're fighting. That they're killing and dying and that it's only a matter of time before she gets sucked right into the middle like always.

It's all she can do to stay ahead of the game and not linger in one place for very long. Buffy sticks out like a sore thumb whenever she's somewhere for more than a week anyway. It's no hardship to keep moving, to keep wandering without end. She's still too out of place in this world to be comfortable staying somewhere long term. Too much a Californian in an Oriental Wonderland. Too much Alice down the rabbit hole. Too much a lost girl far away from home.

She doesn't have any friends here. She doesn't have a family. She's not the oldest Slayer. She's not even really Buffy anymore. She's just a woman. Just another refugee. Just a nobody.

This world's weird and at war and so not like anything she's ever known. But sometimes…

Sometimes, when she curls up at night and listens to the breeze through the trees, Buffy's actually at peace. She isn't a Slayer here; no one depends on her to keep them alive. She has no responsibilities; she owes nothing to no one and doesn't have to live up to their expectations.

Sometimes, she finally feels free. Sometimes, she keeps walking the entire night instead of going to sleep and nobody insists she's overdoing it. Other times, she doesn't clean the dishes as thoroughly as she should, and there's nobody to scold her for being irresponsible. Occasionally, she doesn't leave her camp for days and does nothing but lie in the grass and gaze up at the clouds.

Buffy doesn't have to be anyone or anything but herself. She doesn't have to smile despite the agony of loss. She doesn't have to lead. She doesn't have to have all the answers. She doesn't have to keep her chin lifted and avoid the awestruck looks of the other Slayers. She can still fight, still protect the innocent, and it's not because it's expected of her. And this time, it's not without gratitude for her efforts. It's not without thanks. It's not without grateful eyes that welcome even a stranger around the campfire for the night.

But that's all it ever is. All Buffy ever allows herself. Instead, she just walks the road and lets the wind lead her way. Lets the breeze tug her here. To this time and this place. To a girl fight. To women fighting women.

She stares for a minute. It's several teenagers in green versus a mismatched trio who don't look any older. Buffy doesn't know the latter, but the former seems vaguely familiar.

Kimono Girls? Koga's Warriors? Karaoke Fighters?

Something like that. Buffy only knows what the other refugees have told her. Have asked her. She isn't one, but watching them, Buffy can honestly see why they might think she was. These girls are fierce. They're strong and disciplined and everything she tried and failed to make the younger Slayers.

They're also losing.

Even their awesome moves can't seem to stand up to a chick with knives and a bored frown and her pink, bouncy friend. There's a third one, too. But she just watches with her arms crossed and a smirk that wouldn't look out of place on the devil. There's something about her that sends a chill down Buffy's spine in a way that not even the mayor or Angelus did. Something that makes her instincts scream not to give her back to this girl. To not take her eyes away or lose sight.

Something that tells her the lights are on and somebody's moving around inside but they aren't completely human.

Buffy files that feeling away even as she watches the Girls In Green fight Miss Frowny and her giggling sidekick. Her attention goes from them to a large white… _thing_ in the background that's huddled away and shaking with something a lot like fear. It looks like a buffalo. Well, if they had six legs. Like a vaguely buffalo-thing that's just a little bit cute if Buffy's perfectly honest with herself. And whatever the hell it is, the Fan Girls seem to be friends with it or at the very least trying to protect it. Which earns them brownie points in Buffy's mental tally.

Not that she's really keep track or anything. Instead, she's mostly trying to decide just what the hell's going on. And who the hell she's supposed to fight.

Usually, it's obvious. Sketchy looking guys trying to rob peasants. Bullies wearing armor. The general baddies who're easily identified.

It's a bit harder this time. They're all a bunch of kids.

Buffy's still trying to puzzle it out as the fighting reaches a lull. The Girls In Green are breathing heavy as they fall back to stand near the weird buffalo-thing. Which despite its size looks as harmless as a giant marshmallow. They're battered and bruised but resolute as the Mismatched Trio faces off against them. The chick in red mocks their efforts and inspects her nails without a care in the world.

Neither group has yet to notice Buffy. Which is a definite plus. Buffy isn't still quite sure which side is the good guys. If there even is a good guys here. She really doesn't understand the war or even who really started the damn thing. Just that it's been going on for a long time and that both sides hate the other. Still, she's heard nothing but good things about the Fan Girls, and anyone who has a leader that looks like such a complete psycho can't be trusted. Not to mention that Buffy's instincts are still screaming at her that the one in red is up to No Good.

Then, just as she realizing that, she sees Miss Psycho Bitch throw blue fire.

It's like time stands still. Buffy could run; she could turn away. She could leave and pretend she didn't see. She could let the people of this weird world continue on without her help.

But that's never been Buffy's style. It's never been her way to turn her back when her help is needed. And really, that buffalo-thing is too cute. He makes her think of a white and brown Mr. Gordo and the stuffed hippo she'd once had that Dawn had destroyed in a fit of pique when she was eight.

Buffy doesn't waste any time stepping out of the bushes and right into the fire. What follows is surprise. Then, there are orders to back down. To submit. To get the hell away.

Buffy naturally doesn't listen.

A knife is thrown at her shoulder. Buffy snatches it out of the air thoughtlessly and throws it back. Her Dourness barely has enough time to dive to the side before it flies through the space she'd just been occupying. She's quick to throw more knives, even as she comes up in a crouch. But those meet the same fate as the first, and she's scrambling to get out of the way.

Pinky steps in then. Well, more like she takes a back handspring in Buffy's direction and attempts to dance around her. Buffy just steps to the left and gives a feint to the right. She dodges a knife that's thrown at her head then, catches it, and flings it back.

All without thought. All without looking.

Her efforts earn her a hissing curse that lets her know that her aim was perfect, but she doesn't even smile as a blast of blue fire flies at her face. Buffy just ducks and rolls, coming to her feet directly in front of Bouncy. The girl wastes no time in striking out, and Buffy feels her arm tingle for a second as she deflects the blow. But she shakes it off like nothing and keeps going. Pinky's eyes have a heartbeat to widen to comical levels before Buffy knocks her out with a well-placed jab to the side of the head. She goes down like a sack of bricks and doesn't get back up.

That leaves two.

Only now, Miss Bitch is really playing attention. And she looks pissed. Buffy isn't sure if it's because she actually knocked out Pinky or if it's because she won't back down. Maybe a combination of both.

Blue fire chooses that second to come rocketing toward her. Buffy sidesteps the blast, but she can feel the heat of it on her skin as she keeps going forward. She isn't burned, and it isn't enough to make her flinch back. But Miss Bitch seems genuinely surprised that she isn't terrified. Instead, Buffy gives a hard grin as she steps within attacking range.

Miss Bitch lashes out at her with fist and foot and fire. Buffy blocks all three before they can ever become a threat. She even deflects and catches yet another knife as she does, but she doesn't get a chance to throw it before blue flames are heading at her face once more. She dodges again, and they repeat the same song and dance a few more times with Buffy barely getting winded as the minutes stretch on.

The girl tries. She does. She kicks and punches and flings fire like a pro.

But Buffy is faster. Stronger. Better.

Don't get her wrong. This girl's good. Really good. In a few years, she might even be great. But Buffy can tell that she's been trained but hasn't fought to the bitter end. Has never been in a situation where she's a hairsbreadth from defeat or screaming torture before a terrible death. Has never been beaten into the ground and then crawled back to her feet. Has never lost when it really and truly mattered.

Buffy though, she's used to fighting things that will eat her if she loses. That will drink her blood and consume her soul if she falters. That will kill her and everyone she loves if she doesn't kill them first. That are not and have not ever been human.

This girl's just that. A girl. A teenaged girl. Scary as hell to normal people probably. Worrying to Buffy herself. But if she's a day over sixteen, Buffy will eat her muddy boots.

And that more than anything is why Buffy pulls her punches. Yeah, they're fighting. Yeah, Buffy's going to win. But this isn't a fight to the death. At least not on her end.

It's becoming clear, however, that Miss Bitch doesn't quite see it that way. Especially not when she shoots out fire that makes Buffy duck and back up a few steps. Her fingers form an odd shape on her hand then, and there's a strange crackling buzz around her skin.

Buffy feels the hair on her arms and under her cap stand on end. That's her only warning as the girl jerks out her right hand, and lightning flies free.

With ordinary people and in ordinary times, this'd be very bad indeed. But Buffy isn't ordinary. She's the Slayer. The dark wind that whips through the night. The desert storm that makes monsters cower. The untamable tornado that can't be conquered.

Lightning's nothing to that.

Buffy just takes a deep breath and lets her eyes flutter closed. She isn't entirely sure what happens next. She feels like the lightning connect, but it's like a gentle static shock. It doesn't sting or burn. It just flows through the empty spaces inside, going from her shoulder to her belly and out through her feet touching the ground to dissipate harmlessly.

A heartbeat later, she opens her eyes to the knowledge that she's untouched and unharmed and that not even a hair is out of place. The smile she gives is unintended and unintentional, but it comes nonetheless.

Miss Bitch stares at her in dumbfounded shock. She stares and stares, and her eyes start to fill with something Buffy honestly hates to see.

Fear. Real fear. Fear of losing. Fear of Buffy.

The girl licks her lips almost nervously before her shoulders straighten and her resolve reforms. Her eyes flicker around for a second. They flit to her dour friend as she stands over the downed chick in pink and throws knives at the Fan Girls as if her life depends on it. Then, they go back to Buffy.

The blonde knows what she's going to do. Knows it before it happens. But she lets it happen anyway. She doesn't want to kill these girls. They're only kids! They're Dawn's age, if that. It's better if they run.

Miss Bitch does just that. She does a ducking roll over to her friends, shooting a wave of blue flames out of her feet as she goes. Her Dourness drops to pick up their friend then, and she makes a run for the trees as Miss Bitch provides cover. The fires take a minute to burn away, but by then, the three are gone. Neither Buffy nor the Girls In Green who're still standing give chase.

It's quiet after that. Almost deathly so. The Fan Girls turn to tend to each other and their big buffalo friend, and Buffy stares at the space she'd last seen Miss Bitch before turning to help them. She isn't a doctor or a nurse or even had formal training. But she's picked up a few things over the years, and helping put things back together after the fight's the best way to wind down.

The Fan Girls only smile at her as she approaches. Despite the recent display and the freakiness, they don't even tense as she walks over. Their faces are open and relieved as everyone's patched up, and the huge buffalo-thing even makes a happy sound and slobbers all over Buffy when she uses pieces of an extra shirt to wipe away the blood from its fur.

And soon enough, everything's put to rights and everyone's fixed up. They look at each other then. The Girls In Green – Kyoshi Warriors – and Buffy. They've done little more talking than offering thanks and an exchange of names, but somehow, Buffy's reluctant to turn around and head on her merry way.

"Where are you headed?" the lead girl asks, and there's a strange tone in her voice. Soft but somehow appraising and hopeful both.

Buffy isn't sure what to make of it. She just shrugs and rolls her shoulders. Ba Sing Se sounded better than anything when it was just her, and it has the advantage of being away from the war. But really, it doesn't much matter where she ends up. She honestly doesn't care.

"Nowhere in particular." Buffy tilts her head. "Why?"

Suki just smiles.


	2. Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, to be perfectly honest, Buffy has lots of problems.

Buffy has a problem. Well, to be perfectly honest, Buffy has lots of problems. And they only seem to be growing exponentially. But right now, she has one that's more pressing than everything else.

Buffy is lost.

It isn't her fault. It isn't! It just happened. Ba Sing Se is freaking huge. Not big like New York or LA big. Big like it might take her weeks to walk from one end to the next kind of big. Big like half a continent big. Big like… well, big.

It's a big city, and she's just an admittedly short woman, and while she's good at tracking monsters and navigating her way through hell, she's not the best with unfamiliar places. It doesn't help that she's without a friend or even a freaking map. Not to mention that the people around her are zero help. They just smile before their eyes dart to the roofs or shadowy alleys and go about their business.

The supposedly helpful signs are even less useful. Buffy can read. She can! But admittedly, she's still shaky with it, and she gets the symbols mixed up sometimes, and even when talking, she still has to search for words sometimes but only if it's something she hasn't heard before.

Typical. Fucking typical. No Suki to help keep her on track and away from the all the market stalls. No Appa to swoop in for a cuddly save. Just Buffy on her own, the wind somehow always at her back, and her feet taking her this way and that.

Stupid messed up language. She looked at the station map, and she thought she was supposed to get off at the third stop and then change to the North-bound train. But somehow or another, Buffy had gotten turned around, and the mostly ritzy neighborhood they're housed in wasn't where she ended up. Sure, she could've just boarded the train and tried her luck again, but Buffy honestly hadn't thought she'd been that far away from her destination. But one street over had turned into ten, and soon enough, she wasn't even certain where the hell the train station was.

Which leads her to here. To the one building on the entire street that doesn't look like the wrong end of Apocalypse Now.

The teashop is surprisingly clean in its dinginess as she steps inside. This isn't exactly a great part of town, and were Buffy a regular girl, she'd be very concerned for her safety. Especially with the bag of goodies slung over her shoulder. But as it is, she just heads over to one of the few empty tables she sees and seats herself. She's been wandering for hours and is admittedly thirsty and just a bit hungry, and tea sounds wonderful right now.

She can't help but smile at the old man who comes over to take her order. He's friendly but a little on the round side and kinda makes her think of Santa Claus, but there's an oddness to the way he moves that tells her that he was probably something special in his younger days and that he could undoubtedly wipe the floor with anyone else in the room.

As she waits for him to return, Buffy glances around to see that nobody is really paying her that much attention. They're all too busy with their own drinks, but Buffy can't help but notice that she's by far the best dressed person here. Of course, she's in the new clothes that were gifted to her and the Kyoshi Girls on their arrival, but her old ones would fit right in here. Patched. Frayed. The outfit of a refugee. Which is what these people probably are. The ones not fortunate enough to have met up with Suki and then gone to aid the Earth King.

Of course, with that guy Long Feng running the show, it's hard to say how much help they actually are, but that's Suki's problem at the moment. As long as Buffy is away from him and that incredibly creepy Joo Dee lady – who really does feel like one of Glory's mindfucked legion – being lost isn't so bad, and she does have enough money on her for a room if she can't make her way back in enough time. And really, it's almost fun just wandering around and taking in the sights, letting instinct and the wind choose her destination as they did in the months before she met the Kyoshi Warriors. Don't get her wrong, they're all nice and wicked fighters, but it's hard not being able to do as she pleases, whenever she pleases, because it pleases her. The fact that she's super paranoid about her hair and odd accent don't help matters. Nor do those pesky questions they keep asking.

On the other hand, there are positives to hanging out with them. New clothes are the least of that. Good company. Laughter. Understanding that she's both a woman and a fighter. Not to mention a large, six-legged buffalo that's too cute and loves to cuddle.

Buffy sighs and shifts in her chair just as the server brings over her order, and she gifts him with a smile that he returns fully. However, his attention is soon diverted by raised voices just to their left and nearer to the door. Buffy only has to turn a little to see around him, but it's more than enough to notice two teenaged boys and what seems to be an escalating argument.

One of them looks like the poor man's version of rebel without a cause and practically has sleazy stamped onto his forehead. The stalk of straw that he's chewing and the attitude inherent in each movement only add to it. The other boy is dressed better, but ouch! That spot around his eye had to hurt like hell when he got it. Buffy isn't one to turn away from injuries or scars, but she has her suspicions where this poor kid got his. The fact that it's strangely placed, too precise, and shaped vaguely like a fist doesn't help.

Her server moves closer to them, and Buffy leans back in her chair, wholly unconcerned as she tastes her first sip. She's only half-listening as Sleazy bleats about the Fire Nation; her tea is really delicious. Is this oolong with a hint of jasmine? She told the old man to surprise her, and he succeeded.

Still, even her tea isn't enough distraction, as weapons are drawn and Sleazy goes right for the throat. Burn Scar is quick to deflect, and Buffy has to let out a low whistle as she watches them exchange blows. Both of them are good. Like Kyoshi Girl level good. Maybe even as good as Miss Bitch and her posse. Sleazy's is more a wild style. Erratic and undisciplined. But Burns… now, that's a different story. He's obviously had some training. Both formal and otherwise. And he's good enough to keep Sleazy on the defensive and away from most of the patrons. The shop, however, is too crowded for Burns to keep him from everyone, and soon enough, Rebel-boy is backing to her quiet corner.

Buffy doesn't even hesitate as she sticks out her foot as he comes close. He certainly isn't expecting the blow to the back of his other knee either, and he goes down hard. Burns disarms him easily enough while he's distracted and manages to hold him there with the help of Santa and Buffy's foot on Sleazy's back. It's not even a few seconds later when the Manchurian equivalent of cops come to drag him away.

The old man and Burns stand there for a second or two afterwards, and side by side and this close to her table, Buffy notices a vague resemblance. Possibly father and son. Or even grandfather and child. She can't really be sure.

Either way, the two make their excuses and hurriedly leave. The shop owner doesn't look thrilled but allows it, and Buffy catches the pair's eye as they duck through the door. There's something there as she looks at them. Something almost familiar that makes her bite her lip with indecision. Maybe it's the way they move. Maybe they even remind her of someone else. But she looks at them then and knows they don't belong here. Knows that they're as much outsiders as she is herself.

That more than anything cinches it. Besides, Buffy did help them, so maybe they'll be willing to help her back.

She finishes her tea in one big gulp, sad that she couldn't savor it properly, and puts money down on the table before following them into the streets. It doesn't take her long to catch up, and Buffy honestly thinks they have to know she's there as they turn to an empty alley and pause halfway down. Her footsteps are soft as she comes to stand a few feet away from them. The old man is all warmth and smiles. Burns is on the tense side though. As if he looks at her and sees far more than the small and seemingly unarmed woman she portrays.

"Hello again," Santa says. "I believe we met in the teashop."

"Yeah," Buffy agrees. "You served me tea."

"That I did." He pauses for a second, eyes going to the young man beside him and then back to her. "I am Mushi," the old man introduces. "And this is my nephew Lee."

"Um… Hi," she greets back. "I'm Buffy."

They both blink at that, but Santa – Mushi – recovers first.

"Buffy… Such a lovely name," the old man tells her with an exceptionally charming smile. "Is it Foggy Swamp?"

Buffy isn't entirely sure where the Foggy Swamp even is.

"Eh… Not that I know."

Mushi is still smiling. Almost laughing at a little inside joke.

He bows his head a little and nudges his nephew to do the same. "I thank you for your assistance earlier, my dear lady. I dare say the situation would've been much worse. Perhaps even deadly."

He beams at her in such a way that Buffy actually feels her face start to heat up. Lee beside them coughs into his hand.

"It was nothing," she replies with a little head shake. "Just trying to do my part."

"Indeed. And perhaps there is something we can do for you in return," Mushi suggests, but he says it like he already knows she wants something. His tone is gentle, but with an edge to it that she isn't sure she likes.

Maybe it's the way he looks at her. Perhaps it's the glint to his golden eyes, but Buffy feels herself shift almost guiltily. It's just like when Giles or her mom would catch her in a lie, only somehow that much worse since he's a stranger. She's not using them. Not really. It's not like she's blackmailing them or anything. She just wants their help getting un-lost. Or at least getting back to the train station with a general idea of where to go from there.

"I just…" She fights the urge to bite her lip like a naughty girl scout caught stealing cookies. "I'm looking for my friends."

Both Mushi and Lee visibly relax then, and she sees them exchange another subtle glance.

"Friends?" Lee repeats blankly. Almost dubiously. Like he doesn't believe she should have them.

"They're about this tall and wear green," Buffy adds as if that's at all helpful.

Lee's good eye narrows. "That describes half the people in this neighborhood alone," he points out.

Buffy has to give him that one. Looking to the street beyond, it's pretty obviously true.

She tries again.

"Suki," she says. "My friend's name is Suki, and we got separated at the market, and I think I took the wrong train."

Lee squints at the name like it's vaguely familiar, which is silly. Suki's from an island half a world away, and they're in the middle of Bum Fuck Ba Sing Se. The chances of them having met before are ridiculously slim.

"Oh, is that all?" Mushi inquires, and his voice is honest and full of cheer. "Where was this market? Certainly, we can help you find your way back there."

Buffy can feel herself make a face. "I don't know. Somewhere in the upper ring?"

Again, they just look at her. Only this time, they really take in her appearance. The more expensive cut of her clothes and the embroidered edge to the scarf that hides her hair.

"Upper ring?" Lee repeats. "You're a long way from there. About as far as you can get and still be in the same city."

Buffy pouts and shifts the bag on her shoulder. With all the stuff she bought, she still doesn't have a map. Not that she saw any.

She thinks for a moment before digging through her bag. Hoping to find something to show them. Something unique to a store or that area that they might recognize.

But there's nothing. Absolutely nothing.

The tea inside her stomach is growing cold, and Buffy feels something a lot like real worry start to gnaw in its place.

Mushi looks at her mournfully. "Perhaps we can help in another way. Maybe if we took you to the train station and asked around," he suggests and turns to his companion. "What do you think? Nephew?"

But Lee isn't looking at either of them. Instead, his attention is fixed on a little whistle she bought on a lark that's half-hanging out of her bag.

"What's that?"

Buffy turns it over to show him. It's vaguely shaped like an animal and makes Buffy think of her big buffalo friend, Appa.

"Eh… Just a whistle. But it doesn't make any noise. I guess it's decorative."

She blows on it to show them, but no real sound comes out. She's starting to become too frustrated to care if it did anyway. The tea in her belly sits heavy, and it's unexpectedly hot with the scarf wrapped around her hair. Only the breeze that tugs at her sleeves lets her keep her cool. That and the odd tingling sensation inside her chest that slowly crawls up her spine and to her head. She looks upwards then without really understanding why, but all there is to see are clouds lazily crossing the afternoon sky. Odd clouds, too. One in particular growing larger as Buffy watches.

She feels more than sees Mushi and Lee glance skywards beside her, and all three of them watch the cloud grow larger still and morph into something else. Something that descends from the sky into their alleyway. Something large, white, fuzzy. Cute. With six legs wiggling and big eyes that instantly fix on her.

Buffy feels her own eyes widen as Appa lets out a happy sound and rumbles over to slobber on her. She's too relieved to do more than throw her arms around his neck and give something a bit too much like a shriek of glee.

"Hey, buddy!" she murmurs with absolute and all-encompassing love.

Appa returns it fully.

She's still hugging on him minutes later when she hears someone clear his throat and finally – reluctantly – steps back. Mushi is watching them with lifted eyebrows and an expression that's completely unreadable. Lee, however, is dumbstruck. His mouth might as well be hanging open.

Buffy fights not to laugh.

"What?" she asks with a wicked grin. "Never seen a flying buffalo before?"

Lee's mouth opens and closes without sound for a few seconds.

"That's the Avatar's bison." His voice is a mixture of astonishment and soul-crushing agony with hints of confusion and wonder thrown in.

Buffy doesn't get that at all. And really, that's not the point.

"He's whose?" she half-demands because Appa is sweet and lovable and his own person and maybe even hers now.

"Aang!" Lee declares as he whirls to look at her, face white except for the scar. "The Avatar! Avatar Aang!"

Buffy crinkles her forehead in thought and taps her foot.

Nope. Still, not getting it.

"Who the what now?"

Lee stares at her like she's not just an idiot but a complete one at that. Mushi is politer but not far behind.

"He's THE AVATAR!" Lee repeats much slower and louder this time. Like she was a mentally retarded goldfish too stupid not to swim into the glass. "You know, master of the four elements. Meant to bring balance to the world. Airbender. Enemy of the Fire Nation. That Avatar." He shakes his head with clear exasperation at her still puzzled pout. "What happened? Live under a rock for the last century? Drop out of the sky?"

It's a bit too close to the truth for Buffy's comfort, but all she can do is shrug.

Lee makes a sound low in his throat and stomps off to the side. Directly in front of Appa but still far enough away to not be in his face. Nonetheless, Appa seems to be less than thrilled and tenses under Buffy's hand. The fact that Lee is all but blowing steam out of his ears he's so angry doesn't help.

"I don't believe it," Lee mutters to himself. "I honestly don't believe it." His hands clench and unclench, and Buffy almost thinks she sees flames licking his fingers. "It's impossible! He shouldn't be here."

"Hey, now," she cuts in then. "Don't be mean to him. He's just a buffalo."

"I think you mean bison," Mushi inserts with a grin. He's mostly been quiet the last few minutes, though he has the air of one ready to spring into the fire and drag his nephew out by the scruff of his neck.

Still, he's enjoying this far too much.

"Whatever," Buffy dismisses. "He's totally innocent in whatever you think this Avatar guy did. He's got nothing to do with him now. He's mine, and I won't let you hurt him."

"I wasn't going to hurt him," Lee defends and takes an abrupt step back, anger dissipating.

But with Buffy there and her hand on his head, all Appa does is sniff in Lee's general direction. As though he can't decide if he should like Lee or not. It's a strange reaction for Appa, who's normally so friendly, but then, maybe it's because Lee's a boy. Appa's mostly been around girls so far, and he _is_ very watchful of strangers. He's even giving Mushi the evil eye, and he's been nothing but a gentleman so far.

"This is a most curious turn of events," Mushi muses then. His hand is practically stroking his beard, and all he needs is a pipe and one of those hats.

"Meaning how on earth did you get him?" Lee asks, but his voice is softer now. More thoughtful.

Buffy shrugs and pats her buffalo again. "Long story."

"Long story?" Lee lets out a dramatic sigh and crosses his arms. "Well, I've got plenty of time."

She cocks her head, not sure she likes his tone or his presumption. Thankfully, his uncle comes in for the rescue.

"Perhaps, Miss Buffy," Mushi cuts in and motions to somewhere in the distance. "You'd be kind enough to accompany us back to our residence and tells us. Over tea even," he adds winningly. "I'm told that my oolong is especially good."

Buffy can't help the way her hand goes to her hip or the skeptical cast to her face. Two men she's just met are inviting her back to their place for tea and cookies and maybe even a little psycho killing or something. It sounds like a plot straight out of a horror movie.

But looking at them, Buffy doesn't get that vibe. Sure, Lee's a hothead and seems like something of a jerk, but Buffy saw how he tried to protect the patrons of the teashop and how he so totally just backed down. And Mushi has the air of a warrior, but his eyes look at his nephew with nothing but deep affection and pride.

Buffy studies at them for a moment longer and gives a nod. Appa beside her makes an agreeing sound, and both of them follow after.

The sky is clear. The company isn't bad. But somehow, Buffy feels a chill to the air as they walk through the shadowed streets.


	3. Interlude One - Sunlight in December

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If wishes were ostrich-horses, Aang just trampled the whole world.

The wind is cold. Aang doesn't normally think of it that way, but it is today. Probably has to do with how far north they're getting.

Katara's thrilled. Sokka, too. Though for different reasons. Katara because she'll finally get to learn real waterbending. Sokka because he's glad to be fed properly. Even with half the Fire Nation chasing them, things are genuinely going well.

For them at least.

As for Aang… He's just… Just…

Aang sighs. He settles in against Appa, who's sleeping behind him, and tries to hold on to the warmth of his fur.

It doesn't work.

The woman sitting across the fire sips her tea placidly and offers him a smile as she watches. She hasn't moved or said much since she appeared, and aside from a momentary flare of surprise, Aang barely looks at her. He isn't sure where Sokka and Katara are. Most likely hunting and bathing respectively. They'd wandered off some time ago, and the grin Aang had plastered on his face these last few days had gone with them.

He doesn't have enough energy left to put it up again. Not even for his audience.

Not today. It's too cold. He's too tired. Too aware that he's the last Air Nomad. That he's the Avatar. One boy expected to save the world.

Too alone. Too lonely.

It's Gyatso's birthday today.

"You know," the woman says then. "Problems shared are problems halved."

Aang blinks up at her. But she offers a vague smile that reaches her eyes and gives them an odd gleam. He notices now that she's rather pale. Almost like people from the Fire Nation, but her hair is dark and curly, and her features are too strange. He's never seen eyes that round before. It's weird and unexpected now that he's looking at her.

"What?" he asks. Not really sure he heard right.

"Talking about what's wrong can help make it better," she explains and drinks more of the bizarre smelling tea in her cup.

"I never said anything was wrong," Aang counters before he can stop himself.

She gives him a look. "Because most people sit in the woods all alone, staring at the fire, while their friends are off having fun."

Aang opens his mouth again but then closes it. He honestly doesn't know what to say.

"Feeling lonely perhaps?" she suggests after a moment. "Not to be unexpected, but you do have your buffalo at least."

"Bison," he corrects automatically.

But inside, Aang's wondering how she knows. How she's read him so quickly. If it's written on his face like he suspects. After all, she has to know who he is, right? The arrow on his forehead is usually a dead giveaway to most people. But maybe news hasn't reached this far north yet.

"Maybe you're lost," she tries again. "Fighting that uphill battle and needing a helping hand."

Her voice is like some kind of spell. Weaving in and out of his body and around his heart. Aang can't help but look at her. Look and listen to her describe his life so easily. There's a chill at his back, but he barely notices that he's sat up and inched forward.

"Or perhaps you're overwhelmed. Too much weight on your shoulders." And her next words are clear that she does know exactly who and what he is. "Too many adults expecting you to fix everything and giving no help. Too many people eager to shove you in front of the proverbial firing squad."

Her tone is different now. There's an edge to her voice. An anger that she can't quite keep in check. Almost like she's affronted on his behalf.

Aang's moved even closer now. Leaving Appa behind to sleep in peace while his own world crumbles. It's just the two of them. All that's left of air. But sometimes, even having Appa isn't enough. Doesn't ease the hollow ache inside where summer breezes and gliding should be.

Sometimes. A lot of the time. All the time.

"Or maybe… Maybe you just want a friend," she finally says, and it's like the breath right before the edge of the cliff.

Aang feels his mouth go dry and his hands tighten into fists. They shake, and Aang doesn't think to stop them.

Katara and Sokka are great. Wonderful even.

But they don't get it. They have each other. And their village. And their dad somewhere out there.

Aang doesn't have anyone. No other Air Nomads. Nobody who gets it. Gets him. Wild winds and laughter and the need just to have somebody at his back who's gone through the same thing.

He's supposed to be the savior and doesn't have one himself.

Aang swallows, but his mouth is still dry, and his eyes are wet. Burning in the cold, cold wind. Stinging his nose and cheeks and chin.

He really wishes Gyatso were here. To sit by him. To guide him. To tell him what to do.

He wishes Roku were here. That Roku was still the Avatar. That he could be the one to fix everything and that Aang could just be Aang.

He wishes things were different. That there was no comet and that Sozin hadn't been such a bad guy. That there was no war.

He wishes for a lot of things. To go back and warn them. To not runaway. To take Gyatso with him. For the world just to make sense again.

"I just…"

He starts but falters. The air in his lungs is heavy. As weighted as he feels all the time. But he forces it out anyway.

"I wish I had someone who understands." But he shakes his head even as he says it. "Who knows what it's like to be expected to save everybody else. Who's the only one and all alone even when they weren't. Someone… someone like me"

The cold wind stills then. Goes completely silent. Like the world itself is suddenly holding its breath.

The woman just looks with eyes a tad too shrewd and calculating. Her smile widens.

  


-O.o.O-

  


She hears birds chirping. The breeze is cool against her skin and smells like lingering fall flowers, but the grass is dry and prickly beneath her back, and there's a rock digging into the back of her skull.

This is weird.

Buffy opens her eyes.

The sky is a welcoming shade of blue, and even with the wind, it's not too cold. Just a little chilly in the morning air. The birds are still singing. The flowers are still blooming.

But this isn't her bedroom. This isn't her bed.

This isn't right.

Buffy suddenly sits up.

The meadow is nice in very nature-friendly sort of way. But there aren't any signs of civilization. No cars. No houses. No roads.

This isn't good.

Buffy stands. She slowly turns a full circle. Looking up, down, left, and right.

There aren't any people either.

This is bad. Very, very bad.

Buffy sighs.

"Well, shit."


	4. Part Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You're the strangest person I've ever met."

"So there's this girl-"  


"Woman," Suki corrects.

"Woman," Sokka allows with a twitch of his eye. "Who beat up the crazy blue fire lady, ran circles around both her friends before stomping them into the dirt, rescued Appa, and saved all of you."

"Correct," Suki answers with her own twitch.

"And she came with you here, helping you fight your way across the Earth Kingdom in the meantime without breaking a sweat."

"Also correct."

Another twitch now. But it somehow looks different.

"And she's this totally wicked awesome fighter, who practically eats Fire Nation soldiers for breakfast, while making all of you look like amateurs."

Suki's eyes narrow, but she offers a half-shrug. "That's pretty true, too."

"And you lost her," Toph puts in helpfully from the back.

Sokka makes a strangled sound.

Suki glances at the other Kyoshi Warriors. She receives a bunch of sheepish expressions back and a few shrugs. She turns around, inspecting the wall behind Sokka very carefully.

"Eh… Kind of."

"And now, Appa's missing, too!" Aang is quick to throw in.

"So not the point," Sokka counters. "Besides, we know he's here in the city."

"Probably with the chick you lost," Toph adds oh-so-helpfully.

They ignore her.

"How could you lose her?" Sokka half-asks, half-demands.

Suki puts a hand on one hip. "In case you haven't noticed, it's a big city." She waves her hand to the nearest window. "It wasn't exactly difficult. We almost lost Miko three different times, and we all know she likes to wander."

The girl on her right shifts guilty and tries to hunch in on herself. "I said I was sorry about that," she murmurs.

"For the first time. Not the last two," Suki shoots back, but she's interrupted.

"Again, not the point," Sokka jumps in again and makes an exasperated sound in his throat. "How could she just vanish? Am I missing something here?"

"Aside from Buffy, no," snarks one of the Kyoshi Warriors to the left, but she quiets after a look from her leader.

Sokka gives another indeterminate sound.

"Maybe," Katara finally decides to comment then, "she isn't lost. Maybe she just decided to leave."

It's a valid suggestion, but Suki shakes her head.

"That's not the vibe I got from her. She was going shopping, and besides, she left half her stuff here. She'd want to come back for at least some of it."

"Maybe she was kidnapped like Appa," Aang jumps in, worrying his lip and threatening to rush off in a whirlwind then and there.

"Appa wasn't kidnapped," Katara reminds him with a calming hand to his shoulder. "He just kind of flew off for a while. He'll be back."

"Maybe he went to find this Buffy lady," Toph suggests.

They think that over.

"Well…" Suki ponders aloud. "Appa really does like her."

"And she did save him from the Fire Nation psychos," one of her girls adds.

"And she's always cooing over him and brushing out his fur," another inserts from the back corner.

"It has potential," Sokka admits almost reluctantly.

Aang brightens like a flower suddenly given water after a drought. "So if I find her, I'll find Appa then," he announces, but Sokka steps on his pant leg before Aang can even take flight.

"Easy there, twinkle toes," Toph butts in. "That's assuming they're together, which they might not be. For all we know, this Buffy chick could be sitting in a teashop while Appa's just out flying around."

Aang wilts again. His lip quivers.

Katara is quick to go in for the save. "But then again, they could be together. The easily thing will be for us to find… eh…"

"Buffy," Suki puts in helpfully.

"Right… Buffy." Katara turns back to Aang. "We should find her first, and if Appa isn't with her, she can at least help find him."

"It's a good plan," Sokka acknowledges. "But we don't even know where to start looking."

"You did say she went shopping," Katara says to Suki. "I mean, there can't be _that_ many markets in the city."

"But knowing Buffy, she's probably been through about twenty of them by now," Suki comments.

"More like a fifty," the girl on her left says.

"A hundred," the one of the right quips.

Suki gives them both a look. They promptly shut up.

"Was there somewhere specific she mentioned?" Katara asks.

"Or even somewhere else in the city she might go?" Sokka adds. "Any family or other friends she might have here."

The Kyoshi Warriors all trade a glance then. There's something they're not saying. Something in the way they all look at each other and not at Sokka or Katara or even Aang.

Toph feels her eyes narrow, and a suspicion starts to crawl down her spine.

"So where's she from anyway?" Toph questions then, and she doesn't need to see to feel Suki flinch. "Is she Earth Kingdom, too?"

Sokka's head jerks up, and his gaze goes from one Kyoshi Warrior to the next. None of them will look at him. Instead, he receives another universal shrug.

"Her eyes are green, but she's never said," a girl finally offers, voice soft and very quiet before she's hushed.

"Danced around the subject, more like," another replies when Sokka gives her a stern look.

"She doesn't talk about herself much," Suki cuts in then.

"At all," the girl next to her mutters.

"Maybe it hurts too much," Katara suggests, compassionate to the core. "Her home could be gone."

The Kyoshi Warriors are too well-trained to shift like naughty schoolgirls caught out of bounds. But at their heart, they're still young enough to look guilty.

"You don't think she's Fire Nation, do you?" Toph asks, and there's a shrewdness to her tone.

They all turn to stare at her, but she just lifts her chin.

"She could be," Toph defends. "Maybe a deserter, like that Jeong Jeong guy you told me about."

Aang blinks, derailed from thinking about Appa once again. Katara is taken aback and opens her mouth but promptly closes it. Sokka seems to be considering, but all of the Kyoshi Warriors suddenly sit up straighter.

"We don't know," Suki states, and her voice is abruptly stronger. "Would it matter if she was? I highly doubt she's a spy for them."

"Seems more like she's on the run from something," the girl next to her agrees.

"Like she's trying to hide," one from the back adds.

There's a pause. Sokka has his arms folded over his chest, and he's thinking hard. Aang goes from one foot to the other like he isn't sure what to do. Toph is quiet, contemplative. Katara bites her lip.

"But if she's Fire…" she starts to say but is cut off.

"I don't know," Suki states with a tone made of pure steel, sharp and slashing like a sword. "And quite frankly, I don't care. We owe her our lives. She helped us when she could've just walked away. When she _should've_ walked away. But she stuck by us, and we'll stick by her."

It's quiet then. Almost deathly so. Katara's eyes are huge in her face, as are Aang's. Sokka just looks at Suki as if he's never seen anything like her before. Toph lets out a low whistle. The other Kyoshi Warriors just give a nod in unison.

The silence lingers. Heavy and weighted. Almost palpable. Like a blanket smothering out sound until they can't even hear anything from outside anymore. Not the wind in the trees. Not the noise of footsteps on stone. Not even the splash of water in the pond just beyond the backdoor.

But then, Suki sighs. She glances out window to the sinking sun in the distance and shakes her head helplessly. Sokka can practically see her eyes straining, searching for a sign and finding none. All she can really do – all any of them can do – is wait.

"She'll be alright," the girl beside her murmurs as if reading her mind, as if reading all their minds. "Buffy will be; you'll see."

Suki frowns and says nothing.

-O.o.O-

Lee splutters, and tea sprays everywhere. Buffy wipes her face with her hand, even as Lee keeps choking. Mushi offers her a handkerchief before moving to pat his nephew on the back, but it's some minutes before he returns to a normal color.

Buffy's nice enough not to comment as she watches them interact and instead turns her attention to the window. It's dark outside now, and she can just discern Appa's outline as he sleeps in the tiny backyard of the apartment building. Buffy watches him for a moment but frowns as she realizes this will be her third day with her new friends. Ba Sing Se is indeed a huge city, and despite their help, Buffy is no closer to finding her way back than before. She's lucky though to have found people as nice as Mushi and Lee to help her, even if the latter of which is such a stick in the mud.

"That can't be… There's no way," Lee is now saying as she turns back to him.

"What?" Buffy looks at them with a pout. "What's so weird about a chick with blue fire?" she poses, and she can see Mushi wince out of the corner of her eye as his nephew fights not to stiffen. Buffy just shrugs though. "She can't possibly be that special."

Lee's mouth moves up and down like a beached fish then. But Mushi goes in for the save.

"We have unfortunately… met this young lady previously," he puts in softly, trying and failing not to toy with the cup in front of him. "She was… ah…"

"Batshit creepy?" Buffy volunteers.

Mushi lifts a brow. "Indeed."

"Well, she shouldn't be hurting anybody now," Buffy adds and doesn't miss the look her companions exchange.

"Is she… dead?" Lee whispers. His voice is suddenly breathy. Like he does have enough air in his lungs.

Buffy looks at him and slowly shakes her head. "Not the last time I saw her. But maybe she'll rethink attacking every random person she sees."

Lee exhales in a rush. He unclenches his knuckles from underneath the table.

"I doubt it," Lee mutters to himself, now staring at the tabletop and hunching in his shoulders.

Mushi quiets him with a hand to his wrist. Buffy pretends not to see. She just shrugs again.

"It's not like I was fighting them by myself anyway," Buffy puts in then as she lifts her teacup. "Technically, the Kyoshi Warriors got to them first."

There's an odd sound then. It's almost but not quite a gasp. She can't even begin to guess which one of them gave it.

"Kyoshi Warriors?" Lee asks faintly, and even Mushi just stares at her.

Buffy smiles. "Yep. They're some pretty awesome fighters."

Lee makes a spluttering sound. Mushi, however, is polite enough to hide his face behind his fingers. Buffy's grin is too wicked.

"You…" Lee starts to say but can't finish the thought.

Buffy fights a snicker. She sets down her cup and rests her head on her hand.

"If you think that's unbelievable," she states with green eyes gleaming, "wait until I tell you about how we got into the city."

Lee gapes. "You are…" He waves a dramatic hand at her. "You're… You… You're the strangest person I've ever met."

If anything, that makes her smile widen.


	5. Part Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So it goes like this.

So it goes like this.

_Buffy is minding her own business; she is! Just minding her own business as she and her two friends explore the city. She's just helped moved the pair of them to the upper ring and Mushi's new teashop, and now, they're looking around. Perhaps playing tourists while also attempting to find her other set of friends – the Kyoshi Girls. And maybe avoiding that creepy Joo Dee chick who keeps stopping by._

_Anyway, Mushi escorts her like a gentleman, an arm through hers, and Lee is surprisingly pleasant company when he isn't thinking that the world is out to get him and take all his lunch money. The three of them are just innocently looking around. Nothing suspicious here. Nothing at all._

_Mushi only steps away for a few seconds to peer into a pottery shop, and Lee gestures to a blacksmith that's down a side street with a half-smile and nod of his head. Buffy glances back to see Mushi grin at them indulgently and wave them off, and she's already moving to catch up to Lee when out of nowhere, Buffy's nearly slammed into by a blur of blue._

_Her reflexes are quick enough that he doesn't knock her to the ground, but he still makes contact and sends her basket scattering. Buffy ducks the failing arms, and she brushes off the flustered apologies as her assailant – a teenaged boy with an odd ponytail thing going on – hastily moves to help her. He's cute as he blushes. He can't be too much younger than Dawn, and Buffy fights not to grin. Or coo. Or both._

" _It's fine," she assures him. "No harm done. Really."_

_Mr. Ponytail hurriedly picks up the basket that he's just knocked out of her hands and goes to fetch all the scattered clothes that Mushi insisted on buying her. For all that she's known him a couple weeks, Mushi already dotes on her like she's lived with Lee and him forever. He's just nice like that. Friendly. Welcoming. Sweet in a not pervy way._

_Of course, the fact that she caught him heating his tea in a very unfortunate manner and didn't immediately freak out and call the guard helped their relationship considerably. Though admittedly, Buffy still doesn't get why everyone's so uptight about firebending, especially when every other type of bending is a-okay. But whatever._

_She was and still is totally cool with it. And they are cool with her, weird habits and accent and mannerisms included._

_And the less said about their initial reaction to her hair, the better. Not even the Kyoshi Girls have seen it yet, but Mushi just gave her a warm if puzzled smile. Lee didn't even stare._

_Buffy shrugs off that thought just as she shrugs off further apologies. Really, Ponytail-Guy is taking this too seriously. It was an accident, and it wasn't like he meant to grope her or anything._

_At least, she doesn't think he did. There's no telling with kids these days._

_Either way, Mushi's caught up to them now, and Lee has since turned back. They are standing there together, watching the show with quiet amusement as Ponytail-Guy ducks his head and heaps things in her basket without really looking at them. Mushi's already opened his mouth to further smooth over everything, but a look of complete surprise flashes over his features as he takes a good look at the newcomer. Beside him, Lee stiffens._

_Buffy glances at them both with utter puzzlement, and Mr. Ponytail finally looks up. Then, he frowns. And by frowns, Buffy means that his eyes narrow to little slits and his mouth drops open before snapping shut as both eyebrows lift to his hairline._

"You! _" he snarls._

_Buffy blinks._

" _Me?"_

_He jerks his head to the side._

" _Him!"_

_Both Mushi and Lee are still standing there, staring. Buffy is getting really confused now. Not that she wasn't before._

" _Who?" she asks to clarify._

" _That guy!"_

_Mr. Ponytail points this time. It is decidedly not helpful that it's right between the other two._

" _Which one?"_

" _That one!"_

_He jabs his finger at them again. He needs to stop shouting, Buffy decides. Really. He's starting to attract attention from the main street._

" _Hey. Take it easy," she tells him. "They're with me."_

" _You!" he splutters._

" _Me," she says right back._

" _You!" he tries again. Alternating between shock and anger and embarrassment._

" _Me," Buffy replies, and this has gone from confusing to annoying._

_Mr. Ponytail splutters some more. He shouts some things. Blabbers. Freaks out a bit. Throws a boomerang, which she deflects and catches. Makes some accusations. Gets Mushi to frown, while Lee seems ready to throw it down then and there. A few other things happen. And Appa somehow makes an appearance; Buffy isn't sure why._

_That's when things really get ugly._

Which is right around the time that Buffy's had enough and gives Mr. Ponytail a _light_ – light, she says and she's sticking to that story! – tap to the head. He goes down like a sack of bricks. Mushi points out that they can't just leave him there, and well… that brings them to here.

Ponytail-Guy – Sokka, Lee has so helpfully informed her, and why does that name sound familiar? – is now securely tied to a chair in the backroom of Mushi's shop. It's nighttime, and the other businesses nearby are all closed and empty. A pretty good thing when their new guest gives a gasp and some wordless sounds.

"Easy there," she tells him, offering some water that he reluctantly takes.

"Easy?" Pony… Sokka rasps. "You've kidnapped me!"

"We couldn't just leave you in the street," Buffy defends as she steps back.

"Couldn't just leave me in the street?" he repeats incredulously.

She shrugs and casts a glance at Mushi and Lee. The former has a hand on his nephew's shoulder, and despite appearances, she can tell that both of them are taunt as bowstrings. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that they've met before and that this Sokka guy knows they're firebenders. Probably knows their real names, too.

And yeah, Buffy figured out that part. She pretty sure that there's no way in hell someone would honestly name their kid Mushi. Like ever. Plus, neither of them reacts naturally when she calls after them, but they'll tell her when they damn well feel like it and no sooner. She won't push.

Anyway… She digresses.

"You make it sound like we're bad people," Buffy comments glibly.

Since really, they _are_ being rather reasonable here. They weren't the ones who accosted strangers on the street, after all.

Not this time.

"You're consorting with the Fire Nation," Sokka points out and then shakes his head. "And they are the Fire Nation."

Buffy gives him a look. "Two people hardly make up a nation."

He ignores that.

"And you stole Appa, too!" Sokka throws in for good measure.

"Hey." She jabs a finger under his nose and makes him go cross-eyed. "I didn't steal him. I rescued him. Big difference!"

"Just like you rescued me!" he snarks back.

And where did all the blushing and apologies go? Probably the same place as his manners. He isn't cute at all anymore. Just like Dawn when she was being a little pain in the ass.

"You groped me first, buster!"

He flushes then, and it isn't from anger.

She hears a sound from behind her. One that suspiciously sounds like a laugh.

"That was an accident!" Sokka defends, but it's hard to seem sheepish while tied to a chair.

"Sure, sure," she deflects.

"I bet you stepped in front of me on purpose anyway," he declares then. "It was all part of your dastardly plot."

"Oh, yeah," Buffy counters with a dismissive wave. "I wanted some random, badly dressed boy to feel me up and then take him hostage."

There's another laugh. And a snort for good measure.

"I'm not badly dressed," he shoots back before adding, "and I'm not a boy! I'm a warrior. From the Water Tribe!"

The ' _Fear me!_ ' goes unsaid.

She still hears it.

More laughter now. Mushi isn't even covering it up anymore. She knows Lee is rolling his eyes without even seeing him.

"The Dweeb Tribe, more like," Buffy corrects and gives a toss of her head.

His blue eyes narrow. His face isn't quite pouty, but it's damn close.

"Dweeb Tribe? Who talks like that?" Sokka questions, and his gaze goes over her face. His eyes widen. "And what's up with your hair?"

Buffy hastily fixes her scarf.

"Nothing."

"Whatever." Somehow, Sokka manages a shrug and looks away in triumph. As if he's winning while still tied up. "You and your funny accent and weird hair aren't gonna convince me no matter what you say."

He might as well stick his fingers in his ears then. He probably would if his hands were free.

Damn teenagers. She'd forgotten what they could be like. Not listening to their elders and all.

But Buffy has plenty of experience with teenagers. Especially obstinate ones.

She just grins then. Wide and too wicked.

Lee can't even see her face, but she hears him take a step back.

Mr. Ponytail can though, and he suddenly seems a whole lot less certain.

In the background, Mushi sighs.


	6. Interlude Two - Battle for the Sun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aang's dying. The Avatar might already be dead.

Aang's dying. The Avatar might already be dead.

Pain is sharp, like a thousand knives jabbing into every muscle. Smoke fills his nose, and the taste on his tongue is bitter, metallic. The memory of lightening tingles at his spine, and rocks on the ground eat into his sides. Everything is covered in a green haze as his heart gives a stuttering beat, and his eyes slip shut.

Life, what's left of it, comes in snippets.

Sokka's terrified voice, pleading. Katara's tears falling onto his skin. Toph's fingers gripping his hand. Appa's warmth and the tickle of his fur. Momo nuzzling at his ear.

The heat of a fire singes the air. Male voices – one young and the other old. Both are full of flames and ash, weary but determined. There are whispers of rock and metal and fire. A crackle of static that makes his chest and back flash with sympathy and remembered agony. Light footsteps as someone darts forward.

Then, silence. Deathly so. Broken only by harsh breathing. The swish of dust and cloth and movement.

He fades out. Black consumes everything. The universe goes silent and Aang thinks he can see starlight.

Then, there's a strange pressure on his chest. Once and twice and more times. As if someone is trying to beat his heart for him. His lips are lifted apart as his head is tiled back. Air fills his lungs. He sucks it in gladly.

More pressure. More air.

Aang gasps. He arches up like lightning is still going through him. But hands hold him still, steady.

The world sways then, and he's lifted up, up. Held next to a heart that knows how to work without help. By hands that are almost too warm but agonizingly gentle.

There are words then. Angry ones from Sokka and denial from Katara. A chitter from Momo and Appa's huff. Toph cuts in with two more male voices echoing her. But another, feminine and strong, quiets them all.

He's being moved now. Up unto Appa's back. He can feel more than see Momo curling up by his shoulder as he's eased into soft fur. Then, Katara's next to him, and his head is moved, pillowed on something both firm but strangely yielding.

"Yip, yip," he hears Sokka call from nearby.

Appa rises furiously quick. Enough so that Aang starts to shift, but gentle hands keep him in place.

Something tickles at his nose for a second. He tries to blow it away, but it just comes right back. Aang reaches up thoughtlessly, but it again comes back. He makes an unhappy sound in the back of his throat, and he isn't sure which part is the worst as his eyelids sluggishly peel back.

A tendril of gold like the sunlight hangs in front of him. Right between his eyes and just tickling the edge of his nose. Taunting him with its proximity.

Aang frowns at that. But it's quickly forgotten as his gaze focuses and he sees Katara to his left. But she's looking away, looking across to Toph, who couldn't see him even if she tried. By Aang's feet are more people. The first is in fine robes, curled up next to a bear of all things. Both are fast asleep.

The other two sit together. One is an old man, grey-headed and tired. The other is much younger, a few years older than Aang himself. However, his eye is surrounded by a scar that his hair isn't long enough to hide. Both of them are stony-faced, but the younger one's flinch gives him away.

Aang's frown deepens. He isn't sure why. He knows something is wrong with this picture, but he can't quite puzzle it out. Can't quite get up to speed with the tableau before him. Katara alternating between relief, fury, and terror. Toph so quiet with white-knuckled fingers. Sokka just at the edge of his vision, hunched over Appa's reins.

Momo chitters then, and Aang is distracted as a female hand reaches out to scratch his back. The hand is small like a girl's, but the skin is slightly too rough and calloused. Aang stares at it for a moment. He can see both of Toph's in her lap, and Katara's skin is much darker than this. She doesn't have three besides.

And that doesn't even make any sense.

None of this makes any sense. What's going on, and what happened, and where are they, and…

And…

And there's a noise then. Much like a sigh mixed with a laugh. Whatever's holding his head shakes ever-so-slightly and in perfect time with the sound.

Aang belatedly and somewhat embarrassingly realizes that he's resting in someone's lap.

He blinks then. And again. And very slowly tilts his head back and his chin up. Further and further as more hair that's golden tickles his face and obscures the scene around him. Further again until he sees a forehead emerge. Wrinkle free and with young skin but somehow older than belief. Further still with golden eyebrows that are wispy and barely visible.

Aang stops. He can only look up then. Stare straight into the greenest eyes he's ever seen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just pretend Appa is big enough to carry all these people.


	7. Part Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The blind chick won't stop laughing.

The blind chick won't stop laughing.

It echoes in the cave around them and makes an altogether eerie sound. The green crystals seem to glow even brighter as she sniggers and digs her toes into the dirt.

"It's not funny, Toph!" Mr. Ponytail – excuse her, Sokka – all but shouts.

"Sure it is," the girl cackles.

He makes a face at her and rubs his wrists. An annoying habit he's suddenly acquired. And really, it's not like Buffy had him tied up that long. She hadn't even had time to break out threats of machetes and toothpicks either before Mushi had swept them off to wherever the hell they were now.

She's smart enough to keep that to herself though. This time at least.

"Don't say ' _I told you so_ '," Sokka commands, not privy to Buffy's thoughts.

Fortunately.

Toph snorts and gives a wicked grin. "Okay. I won't."

But her smirk says more than enough. As does the tilt of her head as she turns to Buffy.

For her part, Buffy just fights not to sigh. She takes a second to scan the cavern for more Dai Li, but those guys are never around when she needs a handy distraction.

Bother.

She's really not sure if there's some god out there who just hates her on principle. Maybe a whole pantheon of them or something. Since really, there's no other explanation for why stuff like this keeps happening.

First, there's her run in with Sokka. Then, there's going through these weird tunnels that Mushi somehow magically knew about but not when she actually needed him to, you know, get her back to the Kyoshi Girls. This, of course, was followed by a run in with no less than a dozen ridiculous earthbending guys. Before having an even more ridiculous blind earthbending chick show up. Next, losing Mushi and Lee somewhere along the way but keeping Appa. Since that makes so much more sense.

And now, this.

Being lost in dark dank caves beneath the city without a real destination in mind. Accompanied by Sir Pout-a-Lot. His now returned boomerang. Appa the always cute buffalo and his mad airbending skills. And the aforementioned blind girl, who had apparently invented a new form of bending just today.

Whoop dee do.

Thanks, life. For being so awesome. No, really.

Buffy fights not to pout. This really isn't working for her. At all.

She sighs.

Buffy's still sighing as she idly listens to them squabble like the kids they are, but something else catches her ear then. It's faint. Barely audible. And how she hears it, she'll never know. But Buffy knows this sound like she knows Dawn's face or her mom's hands. It's a part of her just like they are.

Feet pounding against rock and dirt. Grunts of pain. Breath forced from lungs. The crack of bone. The splash of blood on the ground.

A fight.

She's already racing forward before Toph and Sokka even think to run after her. Appa gives a bellow and thunders not far behind them. Two corners and a duck around those weird green crystals later, she just misses the trail end of an enormous flash of light.

She is in enough time, however, to hear a feminine cry and the roar of water turning to ice. But the scene before her is too confusing to make much sense of what just happened.

The first people she really sees are Mushi and Lee. But Buffy honestly can't tell which side they're on. Or if they even seem to know. Though they do block a burst of blue flames that comes flying by Appa, who has already moved past her to jump in the fray.

The rest of the battle is like a bad TV rerun. Or maybe a hallucinogenic flashback caused by magic mushrooms or Mushi's cooking.

Miss Bitch and her badass posse are back and again fighting the Fan Warriors. Only this time, the three evil chicks are joined by those strange earthbending guys, Lie Big or whatever they're called. The Kyoshi Girls are on the defense, all in a circle around two other people, a freaking bear of all things, and something – someone – on the ground.

Mr. Pouty and Toph are quick to abandon Buffy and rush for their own team.

"Katara! Aang!" Sokka shouts even as he runs.

But then, they're out of sight behind the Kyoshi Girls.

Buffy doesn't have time to make sense of things, much less follow. There's already a crackle to the air. The feel of static electricity stinging at her skin. A phantom zing at her back that urges her forward without permission and right at Miss Bitch.

The girl hasn't noticed her. Not then. Not yet.

She's too focused on the whirlwind of battle around her. At her own forces and the enemies in front. She doesn't see that she's about to be flanked.

Buffy watches as she slides into a familiar stance and aims directly at Suki. As the cling and pull of static grows and the world pulls back from the edges.

She knows what'll happen next. Sees it play out behind her eyes like an old-timey movie. Lightning and laughter. The sizzle and stench of burning.

Already, there's a bald boy in the dirt, visible as the Fan Girls shift in position. Buffy doesn't need to see to know that he's been hit, but she still catches a glimpse of his pale face and forehead arrow as another chick in blue leans over his prone form.

Buffy doesn't have time to think about that either. To see both Mushi and Lee falter as they notice her move into the line of fire. To hear Suki call her name before falling back.

She steps forward thoughtlessly but with the grace of a leaf on the wind. Her hands are already moving on their own, gliding into position.

Buffy breathes out. Her eyes slip half-shut on their own, which is the only thing that keeps her from being blinded. She feels more than sees the arc of light racing towards her. Catches a faint whiff of ozone on the air.

All she feels is a tingle. A bright warmth that is soothing more than searing. Racing through her outstretched hand to her chest and belly then down her legs and out her feet.

There's a gasp. It's followed by a shriek. Furious but somehow fearful. Golden eyes beneath dark bangs that are wide with horror before the girl – and yes, she's still very much a girl – whips around. She doesn't even try to fight, just makes a break for it. Her minions are quick to follow.

This time, just like last time, Buffy doesn't chase after.

Nobody else does either. They're too busy huddling around the boy on the ground, but only one girl – the one in blue – has made any real move to help him. And all she's done is bring on some water and hold it over his head.

Buffy takes a second to glance around, but when nobody does anything further. She starts shouldering past them, and she's kneeling down next to him before she's even realized that she's moved. The water chick looks at her in surprise and opens her mouth, but Buffy just gives a gentle shove to put her out of the way. She feels for a pulse that she already knows won't be there; she can't hear his heartbeat or feel him breathing. But she does it just like she was taught anyway. Then, she puts her hands together and starts to count as she pushes on his chest.

A pause to tip his head back and give air. Before pushing on his chest again.

Rinse and repeat.

Again and again and again until…

There's a fluttery feeling beneath her hands that quickly turns into a beat. She stops in surprise, but it's all the opportunity he needs.

He coughs. Once. Twice. Sucks in air like a dying boy.

Which he isn't anymore.

Then, Buffy's being half-shoved, half-pulled back as the blue chick moves in with Sokka and Toph. Buffy is already out of the circle of onlookers before she realizes that Mushi has an arm around her shoulders with one hand on her wrist. Lee is in front of her then. Even his scarred eye is huge, but he's all business as he looks her over, ostensibly searching for any sign of electrical burns. Turning her arms this way and that. Shaking his head when he finds nothing.

Buffy lets him do as he will but says nothing. Just as she says nothing about how Mushi has put himself between her and everyone else. Even the Kyoshi Girls.

But the looks they send are grateful. Relieved even. They've seen the show before, after all. They know already something screwy is going on.

It's only Mushi and Lee who're now acting all weird. Toph, Sokka, and the water girl are too busy with the bald boy. The random dude with the bear doesn't seem to have realized anything strange has even happened.

He probably thinks she's a lightning-bender or something.

But there's just no time to explain. Not when Sokka and the blue chick – who looks suspiciously just like him – are moving their bald buddy to Appa's back. Toph is all but pushing the bear-guy and his furry friend to follow.

Buffy, however, falters.

She looks to Appa, cute buffalo face full of concern and gazing back at her. Then, at the Kyoshi Girls, now reassembled and heading to the exit Toph just made for them. Next to Mushi and Lee hovering around her. Finally at the group settling onto Appa's back.

She has no idea who the hell some of these people are. Not the boy she's just saved. Or the blue girl who looks like Sokka. Or that weird dude and his bear.

But Mushi is already herding both her and Lee forward as Toph sticks her hand over Appa's side and urges them all to get the hell over here.

Buffy casts a glance back at the Kyoshi Girls, but Suki gives a shake of her head and a wave. Her warriors are now moving away, towards the exit to the surface. They don't even hesitate as they make a break for it, but Buffy still catches their eyes as Lee goes to help her on Appa's back.

"Go!" she hears more than sees Suki call. "We'll catch up!"

Lee grabs her hand, but Buffy jumps up on her own. She's already stepping over to the bald boy's side before her mind registers what she's doing. Moving past Sokka as he goes to take the reins. By Toph as she inches away from the edge and pets the lemur now on her shoulder.

This time, the water chick moves before Buffy can make her. Instead, all she does is help settle him more comfortably against the two of them.

Her eyes, when she finally looks up, are blue and watery with unshed tears. Her hands have a death grip the bald boy's arm, but her smile is grateful.

Buffy manages to smile back as she hears a "yip, yip."

Then, they're flying.


	8. Part Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No wonder Lee frowns all the time.

Lee finds her by the shore, watching the sun set. The ship that the Water Tribe guys stole – "borrowed" as Sokka keeps insisting – looms out in front of them both. It's something of a depressing sight, truth be told. Dull metal that she can hear creaking from all the way back here. Rusty patches she can see, too. And the smell… don't get Buffy started on the smell.

But it's better than the alternative. Better than being in Ba Sing Se. Formerly the last free city of Middle Earth. Now new residence of Miss Bitch, she of the blue fire.

And doesn't that last part just sting? Buffy knew that Long Feng was bad news from the moment he'd smarmily welcomed the Kyoshi Warriors into the city. His smile then had been way too smooth, his manner far too used-car salesman.

But still, she feels bad for Kuei – the once and not anymore king – as she watches him half-hunch and half-lean into his beary companion. He looks something like a drowned but well-dressed rat. Droopy in his fine robes with that dumb hat still perched on his head.

Betrayal is tough. And if she understands the situation right, he's known that Long Feng guy since he was a kid. Has listened to his advice and pretty much done whatever he wanted for nearly as long. Only to have that jackass and his earthbending minions turn against him, let Fire Nation thugs including Miss Bitch and her posse into the city.

It's like Giles and the cruciamentum all over again; Buffy has to close her eyes to control her shudder at the mere thought. She'd forgiven her watcher a long time ago for that. Forgiven but not forgotten.

Either way, Ba Sing Se is out of the picture now. Which leaves their merry band of misfits as probably the only escapees from the damn place.

It's even worse than it sounds.

Buffy feels old just watching them work. Toph using her feet and earth to move supplies up to the ship. Sokka directing her and the men just so. Katara tending to Aang over to the side. Aang himself half-asleep as he stares at nothing. Everybody else is taking advantage of the lingering sunlight to finish up. They won't have much time later. Won't have time tomorrow.

When they leave.

Buffy thinks she should probably go with them. After all and despite the fact that she's known them for mere days, she isn't about to send off a bunch of kids to fight in the big bad war against the big bad enemy. No way in hell is she going to do that again.

Sokka, the oldest but still so painfully young, tries his best, but they need more. Katara oscillates between playing mother hen and quietly feuding with her dad. Aang is still healing and can barely keep his eyes open for more than minutes at a time. Toph, for all that she's the youngest, seems to be the only one with her shit truly together. But she's only a girl. Only a kid.

They all are.

Except when they aren't.

Either way, they clearly need adult supervision. It's a sad day indeed when Buffy is the best person available.

Hakoda has way too much on his plate as it is and can't see the forest for the trees anyway. The rest of the Water Tribe guys are either purposefully ignorant or completely oblivious to it all. Kuei is little more than a man-child, who's only now left the palace for the very first time. Bosco is just a bear. Appa is only a buffalo, cute though he may be. She still isn't sure what Momo is, and Lee and Mushi have their own problems.

So Buffy it is. She definitely has to come with them.

Besides, it's not like she has anywhere else to go.

The Kyoshi Girls are gone. Buffy isn't sure where. They stayed in the city to fight the Fire Nation.

That only leaves Lee and Mushi. Or Zuko and Iroh, as she's come to learn. As Iroh himself told her just last night. Not that she hadn't already figured it out. Since, you know, she isn't stupid. And was actually listening when the Aang Gang had their earlier freak out.

But anyway…

Lee – Zuko… whatever his name is… He's something like a friend. Probably the closest to one that she has since the Kyoshi Ladies are still MIA. And he and Mushi are certainly the ones who know her the best out of everybody here.

She can't leave them either. Not here. Not when they've been so good to her. Looking after her when she was lost in the big bad city. Trying to protect her even when the shit was hitting the fan. And even now, not questioning her on the freaky lightning stuff they saw earlier. Keeping everybody else from prying, too.

Especially since it's clear she isn't ready to spill the beans just yet.

Instead, Lee just quietly stands watch next to her for a moment before sitting down. Staring out as the sun disappears entirely and everyone else heads back to their camp for the night. He sighs then.

Buffy does, too. But for a different reason, and she looks up to see him watching her.

"You're going with them."

Not a question. Instead a statement of fact.

She shrugs. "I don't think they should be let out into the wild blue yonder on their own. Especially unsupervised."

Lee snorts. His eyes are golden as they look at her, and there is almost amusement present.

"They'll hardly be by themselves," he points out. "Or does Chief Hakoda not count?"

Buffy fights not to smirk, but she manages to lay the bait perfectly.

"'Cause he's done such a bang up job already. Letting two teenagers and their friends traipse across the world. Most parents don't do that."

Lee frowns. Which is his default expression. His shoulders don't hunch, but it's a near thing. He almost looks like a moody teenager as his arms fold over his chest.

He isn't though. Not really. Not where it counts. In all honesty, he reminds Buffy of herself when she'd been the Slayer for a while but was still in high school. After Angel had become Angelus. After her mom had found out the truth, and Buffy had run.

He looks young; they all do. But in Lee's case more than the others, the outside doesn't match the inside. The soul is older than the body would ever suggest. The other kids have had a charmed life so far, a fortunate journey. The war has only brushed them. Not held them down and taken their lunch money. Not beat them up and stuffed them into lockers. Not done worse.

They've had it easy.

Lee hasn't. And it shows.

Buffy sighs as she looks at him. She can't leave Team Teen to their own devices. But she doesn't want to leave Lee or Mushi either.

Decisions, decisions.

Time for some sneaky maneuvering.

"I'm still going," she acknowledges. "I think it'll be for the best in the long run. For them and maybe even for me." She waits a second before adding, "There's more than enough room for two more, you know."

Lee tenses but makes himself relax.

"I hardly think they'll want us to come," he states resolutely. "We have too much… _history_."

Buffy waves him off. "That whole chasing-them-over-the-globe thing? Bygones. You so totally saved them in Ba Sing Se. I think that evens it out."

"No, not really. It'd take a great deal more than that. Like a miracle," he mutters darkly.

"Which is why you should totally come! You'll have plenty of time to even the score that way," she decides in her best California-voice.

Lee gives her a gimlet eye.

Buffy doesn't pout. She doesn't.

Lee rubs a hand over his face. "I'm pretty sure it doesn't work that way," he says from behind his fingers. "It'll be better if we keep away."

His voice is firm. Unbending.

Buffy tries a different tactic.

"So… I'll be sailing off on a glorious Fire Nation ship. Into the gorgeous sunset, I might add. And you'll be doing what exactly?" she asks very sweetly. "Going where?"

Lee looks at her again. His frown has become a scowl. And perhaps that's really his default. A perpetual glower. Does he ever smile?

"We don't have anywhere else to go," Lee admits grudgingly, and his tone is sour. "Ba Sing Se has fallen. Azula saw us alive and well. My father has to know that I actually helped the Avatar escape."

Buffy feels her own smile slide away. Particularly when Lee's hand tightens into a fist at the mention of his dad.

To be perfectly honest, Lee's dad sounds like a douche. Aside from the whole "I'm king of the world, and you better bow before me" bit, Buffy has her suspicions how Lee got that nasty scar on his face. Mushi – Iroh – didn't explain that part in his spiel about this whole mess. But Buffy can read between the lines. She knows a bad dad when she hears about one.

Not to mention finding out that Miss Bitch is actually Lee's sister, who's tried to kill or at the very least seriously maim him on several occasions.

Ouch.

No wonder Lee frowns all the time.

But Buffy can at least help him here.

"Mushi thinks you two should come with us," she offers and immediately regrets it when he goes stiff.

His face is a mask. Like a furious statue flash-frozen in the moment before she feels the temperature skyrocket. Flame licks his skin, and hot air pulls at her scarf. But he has enough control that it doesn't do more than make sweat bead at her back.

His eyes though are awful. Black holes surrounded by a rim of molten lava.

"You think I don't know that!" Lee almost snarls before he can stop himself, and something in her aches at his voice. "Of course, uncle does. He wants us to join the Avatar and frolic hand in hand with him as we teach him firebending. Before going stomp up and down on our own nation."

Buffy gives him a look, but that doesn't stop him. Nor does the wind picking up to fling bits of sand at his face.

"Uncle… Uncle doesn't see a difference between the nations. If left up to him, he'd still be in his Earth Kingdom teashop, and forget that I'm stuck there, too. Forget that it's my honor and life at stake. Forget that I've been kicked out of my home and can't ever go back."

He's breathing hard now. And Buffy knows what this is. Knows that it's not her he really sees right now. She's just a convenient ear. The one standing next to the boiler when the pressure gets to be too much.

"Uncle thinks that he's helping, but he isn't! He doesn't listen!" His teeth gnash, red in the dying light. Sharp like fangs. "He just… He wants this war to be over, and he doesn't care how that happens!"

Buffy lets out a slow breath at his fury. Like a breeze fighting against the ash and smoke.

"You know that's not true. That none of that is," she interrupts, and her voice is forged steel beneath the softness. "Your uncle does want the war to be over. But more than that, he wants what's best for you." She gently snags his sleeve and holds firm when he tries to pull away. "He wants for you to not only survive but to be happy. I think you could be, if you let yourself."

He tries to jerk away, but he can't. His eyes are blazing as they glare at her.

"Because you know us both so well!"

The fire goes out in an instant as reality catches up. He bites his lip, and there's flicker of regret on his face before his scowl masks his emotions.

Buffy doesn't take his tone personally, however. It's a painful lesson. One that she learned while trying to keep her sister and her sanity. Words are just that. Words. Sounds on the wind. The things never said are more important that what is.

A breeze pulls at her headscarf again. As gentle as her grip on Lee's wrist. As strong as her fingers on his skin.

But Lee isn't like her. He's fire. Full of more than air and empty spaces. He needs to hear more than silence.

And if there's one thing that truly annoys her about Mushi, it's that he keeps quiet when he should speak. That he's let things get this far without putting his foot down. That he offers love but not discipline.

"My dad was a dick, too," she tells Lee then.

The wind has left his sails though. He can only stare at her before making a pained noise in his throat.

Buffy isn't entirely certain why she said it. Except, she kinda is.

She hasn't known them long. Only weeks. But they're on a similar wavelength. It doesn't take a genius to see how Lee flinches whenever someone thinks Mushi is his dad. Or the way he reaches for his scar. Or even how his sister turned out to be a complete psycho.

She can connect the dots. And the picture it makes is terrible.

"He ditched my mom to run off with his secretary," Buffy continues, and his skin his warm in her grasp. Hot and almost feverish. "And when she died, he left me to take care of my sister by myself. Didn't do anything to help. Didn't give us any money. Didn't even send a letter of condolence. Wasn't there then or later when we really needed him. When _I_ needed him. He never was."

Lee is still staring. But now, his golden eyes are shadowed. By both twilight and his hair as the breeze pulls at his bangs.

"Hating him took too much effort though. Took too much from me." She gives him a final squeeze and lets go. "Hating myself took even more."

She stands then. Slowly but not stiffly. Dusting off the ever present sand without apparent care. But she's very aware of Lee as he sits rooted next to her. Still staring.

"Well, it's getting late," Buffy decides then. Whiplash fast.

The sun is long gone, and the stars have appeared, and she can smell Mushi's cooking on the air. Even with their limited supplies, it'll be divine if he made it.

She smirks at Lee, but it's more like a smile a second later. Particularly since he rather resembles a befuddled puppy as he keeps staring at her.

"We'll be making an early start, I hear. Best to head back now."

She offers him a hand up.

Lee hesitates.

He looks at her hand then back at her. Really looks at her for a very long moment. Weighing. Assessing. Remembering.

Then, he takes it.


End file.
